Fall Explorations (Great Places to Go)

October 11, 2016

Every Fall, we have a list of great places that we go to enjoy the season. Even if you don’t live nearby to visit anything on this list, I would encourage you to look for places in your locale where you can do some of these things! They have become traditions in our family and they are much looked forward to every year!

Here are some of the best places in my area to go in the fall! If you want to check out local events in your area, check out Eventbrite, you can even plan your event and sell tickets to it here!

Ready? Here we go!

Apple Picking:

Living in Michigan where one of our main crops is apples, going out to pick them is a must! We go every year and it is always the highlight of our fall schedule/traditions. The farm we used to go to was forced to shut down the u-pick part of their farm but we have found this alternative. We go to Crane’s in Pullman Michigan. It is a bit of a drive for us, but we get to pick fresh apples and get the orchard experience! They are super fun the way the have it set up. Any of the varieties are within easy walking distance and they have attendants with all the different varieties that are ripe at the time to let you taste and see which you like best. They are knowledgeable about what apples last and what are best for what application. After choosing the varieties you would like, they give you a large bag and you set off to find the best apples you can lay your hands on! Once you have finished picking, they weigh out your apples and charge you by the pound. The also offer hay rides on the weekends and have a corn maze! There are two different Crane farms. One on either side of the street. They have different varieties available and it is worth popping into both places! They also have a restaurant and bakery where you can get homemade donuts and apple cider. I have not had the privilege of tasting their cider and donuts, but my married brother and his wife assured me they are the bomb! One of our family traditions is we pack a mix of peanuts and candy corn. I don’t know why, but its so good. The ratio of peanuts has to be 3 to 1 though. At least, that’s how I like it.

There is also another farm that is nearby. Post Family Farm. Ya’ll. They have THE BEST donuts I have ever tasted in my life. They have completely stolen the enjoyment out of any other kind of donut. They are homemade pumpkin donuts with a yummy glaze. And their apple cider. Just. . . I can’t even. It is above and beyond any other cider I have tasted. It’s the best! They offer a variety of fun family activities that look like a blast! If you live any where near the area, you should totally check them out!

Fall Color Walks:

We love to do this as a family and we have several places that we love to go at least once a year. Be sure to bring your camera! The colors and landscapes are gorgeous!

Hagar Park: They have a beautiful forested set of trails that you can admire the colors and the trees. It weaves throughout a small lot of acreage and crosses over a creek in several places. It is a VERY manageable trail with a good distance. It is not too long for the little ones to make it and it is just so enjoyable!

Grand River Park: These trails aren’t all paved, but they wind their way up hills, through forests, down into valleys and across fields. One route even takes you down by the Grand River. It really is a lovely walk and well worth the trip.

Eastmanville Farms: This place has a cool history. It actually used to be a place for mentally ill people who would be taken care of and they would help work the farm. It is a fascinating place and the trails take you around fields, skirt the edge of the woods and ponds. They even have horse trails and if you are REALLY lucky, you might run across a rider. You can even take the trial to the old graveyard and read the epitaphs from over fifty years ago. Again, fascinating.

Millenium Park: We like to take our bikes because this trail is so extensive that you would only be able to see a small portion if you walked them. We usually start at Johnson Park which is several miles down the road and take the loop that winds around the entire lake and Millenium Park, through the woods, across several streets, streams. It is just gorgeous. So many different kinds of trees with gorgeous colors!!!

Pigeon Creek: These trails are more off road, dirt trails, but it is totally a fully wooded trail. Lots of wildlife and just a beautiful area. We don’t live near any woods, so getting the opportunity to explore some is always amazing. We have both walked and biked these trails and it is a load of fun!

The pictures below are from our walk in Hagar Park last year. We haven’t gone this year yet, but I can’t wait!

Scenic Drive:

Next week we are going to take the scenic drive M22 as far as Sleeping Bear Dunes. It is touted as one of the most scenic drive in Michigan and we are so excited! I hope my camera battery lasts all day!

Well, that is it! This was my Fall Roundup of Great Places to Go!

Have you been to any of these places? What is one place that you love to go every fall?

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